1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method for constructing a secure cabinet, and for subsequently paneling an equipped and connected rack structure with paneling elements and at least one door, as well as to a kit for executing the method.
2. Description of Related Art
It quite often occurs that, because of changing operating conditions or uses, already assembled and ready-to-operate rack structures need to be protected to a greater or lesser extent. Some examples are protection against dust, splashing water, noise and fire, which require the subsequent paneling of the rack structure.
It is one object of this invention to provide a method for constructing a secure cabinet, and in particular a subsequent paneling of a ready-to-operate rack structure, which can be performed easily and without interfering with the rack structure.
This object is attained in accordance with this invention with a rack structure that is raised by at least the thickness of a bottom element. The rack structure is placed and positioned on the bottom element positioned below. A front grooved element with connecting elements for a door element is placed on the bottom element in the area of the front of the rack element and is there connected. The front grooved element is connected with side elements placed on the bottom element. A rear grooved element or a rear wall element is placed on the bottom element in the area of the back of the rack structure and is connected with the two side elements. A top element is placed on the grooved elements, the side elements and possibly the rear wall element and is connected with the grooved elements and/or with the side elements.
With a lifting element, the rack structure can be raised to the height required for sliding the bottom element underneath it without releasing the connector cables. Once the bottom element has been slid underneath it, the rack element is put down and positioned in such a way that it projects on all sides from the rack element sufficiently far, so that the elements provided for paneling can be placed on the bottom element and connected with it, if desired.
If no rack element is provided, the secure cabinet can also be constructed without resorting to the first two steps in order to arrange built-in units in the cabinet later.
A front and a rear grooved element are used if the front and the rear of the paneled rack structure are accessible. If access is required only from the front, the back is paneled with a rear wall element and/or has an air conditioner. The connection of the elements with each other is performed at predetermined places, which are aligned with each other, of the horizontally and/or vertically abutting front faces of the elements, wherein the number of the connection points between two elements can be two or more in order to achieve sufficient support.
It is also possible to line up several grooved elements on the front and rear wall elements in order to construct a lined-up cabinet arrangement, wherein the intervening side walls are omitted, and several bottom elements or one common bottom element can be employed.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of this invention, the front and the rear grooved elements are assembled from vertical and horizontal frame legs in the form of a frame. In this case it is possible to reduce the required elements so that the front and rear grooved elements are identically embodied.
In another embodiment used for the same purpose, the bottom element and the top element are identically embodied.
A simple assembly of the paneling, which can be quickly performed, is achieved because known turning bar closures are used for connecting the elements, whose closure elements are matched to each other, and are installed in the elements at abutting faces of connecting points aligned with each other. Such hook closures are commercially available, wherein the two closure elements can be installed in the abutting front faces of the elements. The hook can be rotatably seated in one closure element and can be inserted into the other sleeve-like closure element. After being inserted, the hook is turned on top of a clamping bolt and is appropriately clamped during an additional eccentric displacement, so that the elements connected with each other are pulled toward each other under tension. Thus, the elements need only have one access opening to the rotary bearing of the hook, so that the hook can be turned in the associated closure part.
So that uniform connecting elements can be used at all connecting points, a further embodiment provides that the vertical frame legs of the grooved elements are designed L-shaped in cross section and have connecting faces for the vertical side elements.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment, the structure of the elements is designed so that the elements are embodied to be double-walled and are filled with insulating material.
Thus it is possible to advantageously provide an insulating material having sound protection and/or fire protection properties, which is enclosed in sheet metal walls.
In order to seal the joints between the elements in a fireproof manner, in one embodiment the joints between the elements are sealed by highly temperature-resistant sealing elements, which expand in the event of fire.
The attachment of the doors can easily be achieved because the front and the rear grooved elements are closed off by door elements, wherein the vertical frame legs of the grooved elements and the door elements have hinge and closure elements at points matching each other.
A kit for executing the method in accordance with the invention includes:
a) panel-shaped structural elements, side elements and top elements;
b) frame-like front grooved elements; and
c) frame-like rear grooved elements or panel-shaped rear wall elements;
all of which are connected by complementary connecting elements at the abutting horizontal and/or vertical front faces at connecting points, which are aligned with each other, and can thus be connected.
To reduce the number of different required elements, the bottom elements and the top elements, as well as the front and rear grooved elements, are each identically embodied.
For compartmentizing the secure cabinet, horizontal frame legs are provided at least partially with fireproof and gas-tight cable bulkhead elements.
The interior can be easily enlarged because several grooved elements, or rear wall elements, are sealingly connected with each other, while omitting the side elements.